A Different Type of Pirate Tail
by Rasine K. Crown
Summary: Tis the night before the blessed union of William Turner to his chosen bride when terror strikes. Lady Elizabeht is taken by a sorceress and turned into a mermaid. Together Will and Jack must set out to find a potion that will remedy it. But, there's a ca


A Different Kind of Pirate Tail  
By: Turner's Corset  
I hope you enjoy this!  
Dedicated to all my friends, especially Tay, Emi, Lauren, and Carolyn  
I live to love Orlando Bloom!  
  
It was the dead of night, but Ms. Elizabeth Swan couldn't sleep. Tonight was the eve of her marriage, and the nervous excitement was to blame for keeping her wide-awake. A streak of moonlight fell across her golden locks, giving her a captivating glow. "Just imagine," Elizabeth thought to herself, "that tomorrow evening, I will be Mrs. William Turner, and I'll be in dearest Will's arms." These thoughts made her sigh with ecstasy, then flush as her mind went too far. The next night would be confirming these thoughts.  
  
Abruptly, Elizabeth stiffened her spine with apprehension. Something was missing; her room, the entire manor even, seemed off. With a jolt, she realized what it was. The silence was too absolute. Where was the hushed creaking of the house and its inhabitants? Why couldn't she hear Rose Marie, her maid, snoring in the next room? She sat listening-really listening-for a few moments a noise, any sound, to guarantee herself that she wasn't unable to hear. What she heard was anything other than that. An abnormal scraping and clicking that she had heard before was following. What was it? It distressed her to remember where she had heard it: Jack Sparrow-pardon, Captain Jack Sparrow-had made it while they were locked together on the Interceptor, and Will had done it once or twice to.visit her at night. Somebody was picking the lock to her bedchambers! Bolting up in bed, she stared in horror at her door.  
  
"It could be Will," her conscience whispered. Yes, it could be, but it wasn't. Even though he was staying in her father's manor with her for preparation purposes, he wouldn't be sneaking about like this. He'd know it would frighten her.  
  
The door slowly unlocked. Elizabeth had to think rapidly. Her bedroom was immense, but there was nothing within simple reach to use as a weapon. The silky-smooth sheets and comforter hampered her slender body. Slow, steady tread of unfamiliar footsteps advanced upon the tremulous girl. This unquestionably wasn't her fiancé. For the first instance in quite a while, Elizabeth behaved as a true lady would in this situation. She screamed with the passion of a thousand lost souls.  
  
The roguishly handsome William Turner shot out of the bed with a start. A woman's scream reverberated through the dense silence. With a cold chill creeping down his spine, Will realized who was screaming. The love of his life was in distress! Leaping to his feet, the man grabbed the blade that always lay near. There was no time for the proper preparation. Will hurtled out into the corridor, brushing his unruly brown hair from his eyes. After a mad dash, he was at her door. Flinging it open, he surveyed the scene. Elizabeth was cornered, plastered against the wall. Her assailant, a huge burly man, approached the minx of his heart, with hands outstretched. The time was right! A furious snarl sounded and Will lunged forward, blade extended. The tip rested menacingly against the burglar's throat.  
  
"Release the lady, now, sire, or you won't live to regret it." The quiet, British voice carried a steel undertone that none could mistake. Dropping his hands, the brute took lumbering steps away from the lightheaded lass. Elizabeth fought valiantly to regulate her breaths and recover her natural peach color. What a fright she had had! Suddenly, the man leaped for the door. Instead of rushing out through it, which would lead to almost certain death, he closed and locked the door. Whipping out a sword of his own, the gentlemen locked blades.  
  
"Stay out of this boy, or ye'll regret it. I be Demon Butler, and ye be in me way. Let me take the bonny lass to safety, or pay fer iner-, um.iner-, oh forget it. Fer buttin' in!"  
  
"Never! I'd die before I'd see her harmed." Steel met with steel and the fight was on.  
  
"Good! No worries then!"  
  
Strike after strike and blow after blow was exchanged with no advantage to one side or the other. Elizabeth stayed tight to the corner, trying to get her brain to work. Demon was strong and very big, but Will was swift and light. Sadly, the fight was evenly matched. She could remedy that. Rushing past that dueling men,-Not an easy feat, mind- The girl rammed into her dresser and rummaged through her drawers. With a triumphant cry, she lifted her prize out. It was an intricately designed silver pistol. She pulled the safety catch, turned to face the fighting, and leveled the gun at Demon. He turned and bolted for the door, but Will was way ahead of him. He chucked his sword at in, successfully closing and bolting it. Demon gave several quick tugs in attempt to loosen it, but failed. He then turned around again and lifted his hands.  
  
"Beware of the lady's touch, for it is both sweet and deadly." The sight of Elizabeth Swann, daughter of the governor of Port Royal, a true lady in most senses of the word, wielding a pistol at a man three times her size would have been hilarious at any other moment. As it was, no one moved. Will stood there, an expression of surprised admiration on his face.  
  
"Lassy, there be no good in doin' dat. I be tryin' to save ye!"  
  
"Oh, really? Then why in bloody hell were you breaking into my bedchambers at the dead of night with a sword of your hand?" she shouted. A stuttered, incomprehensible reply was all she got. "Ah ha. I'm not stupid, you know."  
  
Suddenly, something started to happen; something not good. The gun was becoming scorching in her delicate, porcelain hand. In fact, her entire being felt as if it were caught in an inferno. The gun smashed to the ground and a shot rang out. Elizabeth cradled her hand to her stomach, biting her lip with agony. Sharply, like a knife to her chest, the pain increased and a cry burst from her lips.  
  
Will's face changed at her cry. Horror spread through him, like a wave upon the shore. Elizabeth was glowing a deep crimson red. It didn't only encompass her body, but stretched around her in a circle. In three long strides, he had reached the bubble. His hand reached out to grab his almost bride and pull her to his side. The moment his skin had touched the color, it shot him back across the room and into the opposing wall.  
  
"Will!" Elizabeth's heart nearly stopped until he slowly opened his eyes and struggled to his feet. Brown sought blue and their eyes met in a moment of brutally honest emotions: fear, pain, anger, love. The deep black void of oblivion swirled in the corners of her sight. Her last conscious moment focused on her name as it was screamed from her darling's perfect lips.  
  
Will's pulse raced in panic and anger. The radiance that had encircled his other half and taken her away was gone, but the red in his eyes wasn't. Fury made his hands shake. Wheeling about, he leveled his intimidating sword once again at the man beside the rumpled bed.  
  
"Where is she?" questioned Will. His eyes were harder than diamonds "What have you done with her? Tell me now," he warned, "or I'll slit you from navel to nose." Ice nearly fell from his lips, a stark contrast to his eyes, which burned brighter than a thousand flames.  
  
"The sorceress has her now. She coulda be 'nywhere on de seven seas. Mistress Crown's," he spat the name out as if it were the worst of epithets, "magic be that powerful."  
  
"Where does she have her?" Silence followed the question until Will's handcrafted silver hilted, blade gave an encouraging nudge. The bedroom door splintered to the floor with a bang and ten British officers and the governor himself filed into the chambers.  
  
"I don't 'ow. I said dat already."  
  
"What is the meaning of this? What is going on?" The overprotective father streak of the governor came out a bit strong.  
  
"Elizabeth was taken and this.man," Will jabbed his sword against Demon's chest, "says he doesn't know where she is."  
  
"Lock him in irons!" Commodore Norrington had arrived. The ex-fiancé of Ms. Swann was immaculately dressed, even at this hour, and he was seething. "Take him to the brigs!" Six of the soldiers came forward and took him away by the wrists.  
  
"I don't believe I was through here, Commodore," Will said. His temper was still near exploding, even when faced with a semi-ally. "We need to fully question the prisoner before hanging him. In case you haven't noticed, the man you are planning to execute is our only source of information about Elizabeth!" The volcano erupted.  
  
"You are not in any position to hold an investigation here, nor are you the only who cares about Ms. Swann or her whereabouts, blacksmith," Norrington said. His voice dripped with disdain.  
  
"Are you sure? From your actins now and in recent events I don't think you do!" Will sheathed his sword and stormed out of the crowded room.  
  
"William! Where do you think you are going?" called Governor Swann. He, the remaining men, and the commodore followed him out into the dark hallway and down it.  
  
Will cast a disgusted glance over his shoulder, but did not slow his pace. "Where do you think I'm going? To the docks to prepare the boat."  
  
"First of all, you so not have permission to use a ship of the British Navy- yes, I do comprehend that that will not stop you at all- and secondly, where will you begin your rash and foolhardy quest? You have no information as to her whereabouts!"  
  
"Your first point is trivial. I am taking ship whether you apprive or not, and seeing as the pirate can't or won't give me better bearings, I will just take him with me to Tortuga."  
  
"Tortuga? Why on earth would you sail to Tortuga?"  
  
"Tis the only place a man will always feel welcome." 


End file.
